


Hitchhiker

by ICarryDeathOnMyWings



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Gen, He steals plants, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and accidentally stole a toad too, caring Crowely, crowley is soft, inspired by eattoast, taking care of a toad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29625888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ICarryDeathOnMyWings/pseuds/ICarryDeathOnMyWings
Summary: Crowley steals a plant from St. James park and accidentally steals an injured toad with it.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 24





	Hitchhiker

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by Eattoast's lovely little comic about a toad in the plant room! Please look at it! It's so cute!!!
> 
> I don't know how to hyperlink but here's the link to the post! https://www.instagram.com/p/CLkeOD2DGNz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Crowley didn’t often bring new plants into his apartment. Sometimes, on his way past a locally owned greenhouse, something would catch his eye and he would stop in to get it. This was every few years though as he really wanted every new plant he got to be settled- they would be able to express to each new plant that they needed to be _better_ if they were to make it in this new world. 

Sometimes, if Crowley didn’t feel like buying someone new, he’d just take it. It was the demonic thing to do after all (he never once took from someone’s personal garden. He was a demon, not a monster). Public parks were fair game, and some public greenhouses as well. The most recent acquisition was from St. James’ Park, and if it happened to be from a place frequented by a certain angel and demon that was just a coincidence. 

This one was special, Crowley knew. He also knew replanting could be just a little overwhelming and was willing to give this one a reprieve, if only for a few days. After digging it up, putting it into a pot, and setting it up in his plant room, he gave it a stern talking to in front of everyone else. When the only sound in the room was the shaking of leaves out of fear, he leaned forward, whispering softly for only this new one to hear, and said, “I know this can be scary. Settle in for the next few days, I’m sure you’re going to do perfectly here.” 

Little did he know there were two little eyes staring at him from in between the leaves. Someone hunkered down low to stay out of sight. 

The new plant did settle in. And even when the grace period was over he continued to talk gently to it, encouraging in like he never had done for the others. He was stooped down low, misting its leaves and speaking to it when something caught his eye. A little movement from under a leaf. Eyes narrowed, Crowley moved the leaves, and there, staring up at him, was a face. 

It was a _toad._

“How the fuck’d you get in here?” He asked incredulously. 

Of course, the thing didn’t answer him.

“Fucking hell, you’ve gotta get out right now. Make me think of Hastur and-” As he went to pick the toad up he realized with a jolt that there was something wrong. It wasn’t moving, even when he reached down to pick it up, it just stared, wide eyes unblinking. For a horrible second he thought that the thing was dead, but then it winked, one eye at a time, and he realized that no, it was still alive. 

“Are you… sick?” Gently, he picked it up, cupping it gently in his hands. Now that it was out of the leaves, in the light and without anything obstructing his view, Crowley could see the bumpiness of its skin, the weird color of it that wasn’t anything like Hastur, he could see also, that it was sick. It was sick because its _leg was missing_. It looked to be infected too, all red and puffy and terrible. That explained why it hadn’t bothered to move even when in danger. But now what? Surely Crowley couldn’t keep it… could he? Setting it back outside now would be a death sentence and even if he helped it heal before putting it back out in the park the thing was still down a leg. That surely would mean death as well. 

Crowley paced the length of the green room, the toad still in his hands. It looked like he was thinking, trying to come up with the best plan. This wasn’t the truth though, he had already made up his mind and at this point, he was just scolding himself for it. 

There was no way he could sentence this poor thing to a cold, lonely death. Crowley would give it a better life than it ever would have had outside. 

Aziraphale must never know, he thought to himself, no, the angel would never let this… this act of _kindness_ go. It would be a secret, one between him and this tiny toad in his hands. 

He miracled the things that he’d need into existence and set them up by the window where there’d be plenty of sunlight. This was only temporary. Once the arm was healed Crowley had every intention of giving the toad free reign on the plant room which was… absurd. Aziraphale wasn’t even allowed in anymore (but that was because he was too nice to the plants! He was going to muck everything up if he kept opening his big, angelic mouth). 

After setting the tank up the way that best suited a toad (in Crowley’s mind anyway), he set the little thing gently in a bed of moss. Miracles to fix the leg were out of the question, demons couldn’t heal, but he could lessen the pain, so that’s what he did. Everything within his power was done and by the end of the first night, James, as Crowley had started to call him, was doing much better. 

By the end of the week, James no longer had an infection but the wound still needed healing. 

Everyday Crowley made sure to sit and talk with him. It wasn’t like talking with any of the plants, not even the one taken from St. James’, the one that James had ridden in on. This was more like a mother talking to her child than anything else. Crowley _cooed_ at him. He’d put his hand in the tank and let James get used to him, gave him bugs, and gently patted the top of his head. After a while, Crowley swore James would lean into the touches. Maybe he was insane though. 

This damn toad was making him _soft_. 

“I know what it’s like.” He murmured to James one afternoon. It was a gray day, no sun filtering in through the window and rain gently pattering, “Losing a part of you. You’ll get used to it one day, I promise you will.” James blinked up at him, hopped just a little. It probably would have been more impressive if he'd all four of his legs but he was still getting used to it, even after three weeks of healing. Crowley didn’t even bother trying to hide his smile, “I think I know what you mean.” 

The next day Crowley let James out of the tank, set him on the leaves of the stolen plant, “Now, you’re not allowed outside of this room, got it? And if Aziraphale comes in for some reason you hide. He doesn't need to know that you’re here.” 

It looked like James understood so Crowley ambled out of the room, snapping the temporary tank away as he did, “I’ll bring dinner back later!” He called before leaving to spend the night with Aziraphale. 

James settled into the leaf of the plant he’d just been set in, leg tucked under him and eyes closed. This was a safe place, this was a good place to be. Crowley was a sad man, but he was good and kind and brought bugs. He’d take care of James for as long as he was around. 

And if the years started to build and eventually passed what was the usual lifespan of a toad like James well, then that was just a miracle, wasn’t it?

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this! If you did please leave a comment and a kudos :) 
> 
> Sit up straight!!! Take care of yourself!!!


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